Fort Grimmauld
by pottermum
Summary: Fluffy fun of Harry and Teddy. Ginny's away at Wales for the Harpy's training, so what do the boys do? Build a fort, of course.


Ron knocked on Hermione's office door and stuck his head around the corner. "Ready to go?" he asked. It was Friday afternoon and they both had the weekend off.

Hermione slipped a couple of files in her bag as she looked up at her boyfriend, smiling. "Your timing is perfect."

Ron came in and kissed her cheek, knowing better than to prolong any displays of affection in her workplace. "Hey, mind if we stop in and check on Harry at Grimmauld Place?"

Hermione frowned as she gave her desk one last look. "Is he still missing Ginny?" She walked past Ron to leave.

Ron nodded, closing her office door. "He's gotten worse as the week's gone on. He's usually in the office going over reports when I get there in the morning, and one of the last to leave at night. I tried to get him to come to ours for dinner, and he said he'd try once he finished a report, but of course, he didn't show," he sighed. "He's always checking the papers for any mention of Ginny, or listening to the sports show on the wireless. He probably wouldn't eat if it wasn't for Kreacher." Both Harry and Ginny lived at Grimmauld Place, although Ginny was based in Wales for the Harpy's training season.

Both Ron and Harry were trainee Aurors, although Ron was finding he preferred working at WWW with his brother George, Still, he was committed to finishing the training and see which was the best path for him.

"It's not good for him to spend so much time at the office. He really misses Ginny so much. Still, she'll be back tomorrow afternoon," said Hermione, as they made their way to the Ministry exit.

"Robards kicked him out this afternoon, asked if he was channelling Moody, spending so much time there. Poor bloke looked like his dog had been kicked, till I reminded him that he had Teddy for the weekend. That cheered him right up, and he said he was going to go straight to Andi's to see if she'd let him go to his earlier," said Ron.

"He loves that little boy, and he'll be a good distraction from Ginny's absence. All right, let's pop over to Grimmauld Place, and see how they are doing," agreed Hermione.

They walked to the Leaky Cauldron hand in hand, stopping to chat briefly with Hannah Abbott. From there they Flooed to Grimmauld Place.

"Hello?" called Hermione, as she exited the Floo and walked down the hall. She saw Teddy's bag in the kitchen, and heard a giggle, so she ventured further down into the lounge, with Ron close behind her.

"Hello?" she repeated, seeing the sofa had been pushed back. Sheets were draped over all the chairs and the sofa. A turquoise coloured head popped up from the sheets.

"Hi, 'Mione, hiya Ron," greeted Teddy. "Do ya like our fort?"

Hermione grimaced at the diminutive of her name. Only Teddy, or Ron, in private moments, were allowed to call her 'Mione.

Harry's head popped up next next to Teddy's. "Hi," he grinned.

"Having fun, mate?" teased Ron.

"We built it ourselves, Ron, and we're gonna sleep here tonight," said three year old Teddy, earnestly. "Right, Harry?" Harry nodded at his godson.

"It doesn't look like much room in there," said Hermione, doubtfully, eyeing the flimsy covering that looked like it could come down at any minute. "Perhaps I could -" She started to move forward.

"NO!" cried Harry and Teddy. She stopped, surprised.

"Harry 'n me decided. No girls allowed," said Teddy, firmly. "Right, Harry?"

Harry nodded solemnly. "Right, Teddy. Sorry, Hermione," he shrugged, while winking at her.

"So I can come in, then. I've never been in a fort before," said Ron, enthusiastically.

"Stop! You're too big, Ron," protested Teddy, his hand up.

"Ah, just for specky, scrawny gits, is it?" asked Ron, shooting a teasing look at Harry, who shot him the finger when Teddy wasn't looking.

"That's mean, Ron," said Teddy, his lower lip wobbling. "Harry, am I specky and scr-scrawny?" Harry glared at Ron, who looked horrified at upsetting Teddy.

"Not you, mate. I meant Harry," explained Ron, kindly.

"Harry's not specky and scrawny. He's muscly and sexy, I heard Ginny say so," said Teddy, defensively, his hands on his hips.

Hermione snorted as Harry blushed, grinning.

"Sorry, mate," said Ron, to both Teddy and Harry.

"Well it looks like you two boys are having fun, so I'll take Ron home," said Hermione, shooting him an annoyed look.

"Gran makes me have a time out in the naughty corner if I say mean things," said Teddy, who hadn't forgiven Ron just yet. "Maybe Ron should have a time out," he suggested.

"That's a good idea, Teddy. Now, we'll see you at the Burrow tomorrow night, won't we?" she asked Teddy and Harry.

Teddy nodded happily. "Ginny will come home then. Me, 'n Harry 'n Comet miss her, don't we Harry?"

"We sure do, Teddy," smiled Harry.

As if she had heard her name, Comet the cat appeared, jumping on the side table near Ron. She purred loudly, rubbing her head against him.

Ron had actually been the one to name the kitten. Harry had bought her for Ginny, to congratulate her for making the Harpy's squad. Days earlier, Ginny had been featured in an article on the new recruits for all the clubs. She had been photographed holding her Comet broomstick, and in gratitude, the Comet broomstick company had gifted her with boxes of merchandise. When Ron had come over to check it all out, the newly adopted kitten had been resting on Ginny's knee. She had jumped onto Ron's and settled comfortably. He had scratched under her chin. "I suppose your name is Comet, too," he teased, and the kitten mewed.

"Thanks, Ron, I think she likes it," said Ginny, and so Comet the cat she became. She seemed attached to Ron, and always came to him when he visited Grimmauld Place. Even now, she was in heaven as he scratched that special spot between her ears.

"You'll get me in trouble with Crookshanks, you will," grinned Ron.

"Face it, Ron, you're a cat person," chuckled Hermione. "Come on, let's go get some tea. What are you boys eating tonight?"

"We gonna have pizza in here," said Teddy, "and lollies and chips and everyfing."

"Everything bad," said Hermione, shooting Harry a reprimanding look.

"It's just one night, Hermione," shrugged Harry.

"All right, I guess it is okay for one night. Have fun, Teddy, and be a good boy. Harry, you be a good boy too," said Hermione, teasingly, pointing her finger at each of them in turn.

"Bye boys, have fun in the fort," called Ron, as both he and Hermione started to leave.

Harry and Teddy ducked back down, out of sight. "We will," they cried, before bursting into laughter at something under the covers.

Hermione and Ron went to the fireplace and grabbed some Floo powder. "Harry seemed fine, now he's with Teddy."

"So, back to the Leaky for tea?" asked Ron.

"Sure," said Hermione, and they quickly Flooed away.

The next afternoon Ron and Hermione Flooed to the Burrow, after having lunch with Hermione's parents. They were surprised to see Harry and Teddy already there. Teddy was colouring something at the table, but covered it with his arms when Ron approached him.

"It's a s'prise," he protested. "For Ginny."

"Any idea what time she'll get here?" Ron asked Harry.

Harry glanced at the family clock. "Could be any time, really."

"How about a fly?" asked Ron, hopefully.

"Can we, Harry? Please?" begged Teddy, as he had just finished his drawing.

"Sure, why not?" grinned Harry, with another look at the clock. Ginny's hand remained steady on Holyhead.

They left Hermione to help Mrs Weasley prepare the roast dinner. They flew for half an hour before Harry returned to the house.

"Ron piggy backed Teddy, and they stopped in to see Arthur in his shed," explained Harry at both Hermione and Molly's querying look.

The Floo lit up and Ginny stepped out. "Ginny!" cried Harry, hurrying over to her.

"Harry! Oh Harry, I made it," she squealed, crying out with laughter as he picked her up and spun her around.

"I knew it, I knew you would," he kept saying, over and over, punctuated with kisses.

"Ginny!" Teddy raced over to her. Harry put her down just in time for her to scoop the now ginger haired boy into her arms and smother him with kisses until he begged her to stop. "Didya make it?" he asked, looking between Harry and Ginny.

"I made it," Ginny nodded. Teddy wriggled to get down, so Ginny looked around at her family to explain. "I made the starting team. I'm going to be playing in the first match of the season next week," she grinned.

Harry stood by proudly as her mother cried out, running over to hug her. Hermione did too, then Ron and finally her dad.

"This calls for a celebration," beamed Molly. "Let me fire-call your brothers, see if they're all free to come right over and - "

"Mum, it's fine with just us tonight. I'll get in touch with them tomorrow, see who wants tickets," she said.

"I want tickets, I want tickets," cried Teddy, running over to her. "Look, Ginny!"

He held up the parchment he'd been working on when Ron and Hermione arrived. Ginny grinned widely and read aloud. "Go Ginny, number one Harpy!" The Y on Ginny and Harpy was back to front and the number one looked more like a seven, but Ginny didn't care.

"You did this for me? Drew all the pretty green and gold stars and everything?" she asked Teddy. He nodded. She knelt to hug him. "Thank you, Teddy. So you'll come and watch me play?"

"Can I? Can I, Harry?" he asked excitedly. Ginny stood up again.

"We'll be front row, won't we Teddy," said Harry. He slung an arm around Ginny's shoulders and kissed her cheek. "We wouldn't miss it for anything."

Molly and Hermione returned to the kitchen to bring out the meal. Harry settled Teddy between him and Ginny, with Ron sitting across from them.

"At least this one will stop moping now you're home," he grinned at Ginny, nodding in Harry's direction.

"Oy, I don't mope," protested Harry, as he cut up Teddy's roast meat and vegetables.

"What's mope?" asked Teddy, picking up a carrot stick until he caught Molly's disapproving eye. He dropped it back on his plate and picked up his little fork. Molly nodded in approval.

"It means he missed Ginny a lot," said Ron.

"He did. He talked about Ginny _all_ the time," said Teddy. Ron smirked at Harry.

"How was the fort?" asked Ginny, hoping to change the subject.

"You know about that?" asked Ron.

"It was Ginny's idea," said Teddy.

"I can't wait to see it," said Ginny. "Are we sleeping in it tonight?"

"Oh, there's no girls allowed, isn't that right, Teddy?" asked Hermione.

" 'cept for Ginny, she can come in," said Teddy.

"What about me, can I come in, Teddy?" asked Molly, winking at Ginny.

"Well, I dunno," said Teddy, "ya have to crawl on your knees, Grandma, to get in. Can you do that?" he asked doubtfully.

"Perhaps you're right, dear. Eat your dinner, there's a good boy," said Molly.

They settled on the sofa after dinner, as Ginny explained that the main Chaser, Elisabeth, had a recurring injury flare up and was going to miss a couple of matches, thus giving Ginny her big chance.

Ron played Exploding Snap with Teddy, who he let win. Hermione and Ron then bid them all goodnight, suggesting to Harry and Ginny they do brunch the next morning, before they left to go home.

"We better get this one home, too," said Harry, nodding at Teddy who was sitting on Grandpa Arthur's knee, listening to a story about two boys who flew an enchanted car to Hogwarts. Ginny had to smile at the adventures of Barry and Don, which so enthralled young Teddy.

With promises to be in touch soon with details about the match, Harry, Ginny and Teddy returned to Grimmauld Place. Both Comet and Kreacher were happy to see them.

Ginny picked up her cat, scratching under her ear. She purred loudly, glad to have her mistress home.

"A box arrived for you, Master Harry. It's in your bedroom," said Kreacher.

Harry and Teddy looked at each other, then Teddy raced upstairs. "We'll be back soon, Gin," promised Harry, as he took off after Teddy.

Ginny declined anything to eat or drink from Kreacher, but fed Comet. She then wandered into the lounge and made some adjustments to the fort before climbing in.

"Ginny, where are you?" called Teddy.

Ginny popped her head up. "Here I – what are you wearing?" She came out of the fort to look at Harry in shock.

"Hot off the presses. Authentic Ginny Weasley Harpy jerseys," said Harry proudly, sauntering in with hands on hips, pausing for effect, then turning so she could see her number and name on the back. He threw her a sulty look over his shoulder before he flicked his hair and sauntered off. Ginny's hoots of laughter made him smile.

"Me too, me too," said Teddy. He too walked in, hands on hips like Harry and turned around, wearing a child's version of Harry's top. "We went to the Kidditch shop, Gin and Harry ordered them," he said.

Harry came back in, with a new Harpy scarf wrapped around his neck. He handed Teddy a Harpy flag. "We went to Quality Quidditch Supplies, but they weren't out then, so I ordered them," explained Harry.

"But - but I only just made the team. I can't believe they're out already," stammered Ginny.

"We probably got the first ones," said Harry, holding his hand up to Teddy for a high five.

"My boys," said Ginny, holding out her arms. They both came over and put their arms around her. "My beautiful boys," she murmured, kissing both their cheeks.

"And we made you a scrapbook too, Ginny. Harry's been cutting out all the pictures and articles about you," said Teddy, running to the kitchen and coming back.

"Articles about me...already?" stammered Ginny, throwing Harry an alarming look.

He hurriedly reassured her. "Just about the Harpy's star recruit," he said proudly.

"Oh, well, good," said Ginny in relief. She had made it quite clear to the Harpy's publicity team that hers and Harry's relationship was out of bounds when it came to publicity. Unfortunately she had no say on what the papers printed.

"Come on," she urged, " go for a bath and let's get your pyjamas on, then we can snuggle in our fort and you can show me this scrapbook you've started. It'll be nice to have my own cheer squad," she said.

"I've been practising, listen." Teddy took a deep breath, then cupped his hands around his mouth. "GO GINNY, GO HARPY'S!"

Ginny laughed. "Goodness, I'll hear you wherever I am on the pitch, Teddy," she said.

"Good. Harry and me are going to come to all your matches and cheer for you and the Harpy's, Ginny," said Teddy.

"Even against the Cannons?" asked Ginny. Ron and Harry had taken Teddy to a couple of Cannons matches.

"Yeah, I like teams that win," said Teddy, his hair changing to Harpy green.

"Oh, you'll have to tell Ron that," chuckled Harry.

"Off you go," said Ginny, shooing them both away. She waved her wand, casting a freshening charm under the fort. "Smells of boy," she said to Comet, screwing her nose up playfully. "Hmm," she said, pulling out empty packets of lollies and chips.

Harry returned silently, grabbing her around her waist and pulling her against him. Laughing, she turned and kissed him. "Where's Teddy?"

"Bath. Kreacher's watching him." He kissed her back.

"So, you were pining?" asked Ginny in a teasing voice as his lips moved down her throat.

"Moping, the word was moping, and I wasn't," lied Harry.

"I pined for you," said Ginny softly.

He pulled his lips away from her neck. "You did?" he asked, almost hopefully.

Ginny smiled. "See this bruise?" She pointed to her upper arm. "I was thinking about you, pining for you, and a Bludger got me," she said.

"Stupid Bludger," said Harry, bending down to kiss her bruise.

"And after practice, when I was about to get a rub down, I pined for you," she said. His hands slid down her back to fondle her bottom.

Ginny giggled, then shot him a blazing look. "I pine for you when I'm in bed alone, wishing you were there with me, or me, here with you."

With a soft growl, he lowered her to the sofa and lay over her. Their lips found each other and their hands made quick work seeking skin contact. Neither noticed the fort crumbling.

"Whatcha doing?" asked Teddy from the door.

Thinking quickly, Ginny grabbed a cushion. Whomp. Harry's glasses nearly fell off. "Pillow fight," called Ginny.

"All right," yelled Teddy, not minding that the fort had fallen. The three retreated to separate corners amidst their pillow fight, until finally Harry and Ginny surrendered, leaving Teddy the victor.

Finally they crawled into the re-built fort that Ginny had dubbed Fort Grimmauld. She had plumped up the cushions and had a blanket waiting for them. Teddy got comfy and cuddled against Harry as they ate pizza and showed Ginny the scrapbook they had spent most of the afternoon making. Then she told a story of Barry and Don's adventures in the Forbidden Forest with Fang, Hagrid's dog. Finally Teddy fell asleep.

Harry and Ginny lay either side of him, smiling at each other. "I missed you," said Harry, softly.

"Me too," smiled Ginny. "I missed this." She indicated Teddy, and the fort and the house.

Harry linked fingers with hers. "I can't wait to see you play," he said.

"Your support means everything to me, Harry," she said. She squeezed his hand lightly. "Love you," she said.

"I can't go to sleep properly if you keep talking," mumbled Teddy, crossly.

"Sorry, Teddy," they both said, and the boy turned to snuggle into Ginny.

 _'Love you more',_ mouthed Harry.

 _'Love you forever',_ she mouthed back.

 _'Love you infinity'_ , he mouthed, grinning. " No returns, I win," he whispered.

Teddy snored.

"Go to sleep...prat," she said softly, smiling.

"Your prat," said Harry.

"Mine," she agreed. _'Always'_ , she mouthed.

Harry smothered a burst of laughter, and watched as she fell asleep with a small smile on her face. Their fingers were still interlocked as they rested lightly on Teddy.

Ginny was here; home. Teddy was here; happy. Only then did he allow himself to rest his mind and fall asleep. The best sleep he'd had since Ginny had left for Wales.

All was well.


End file.
